Hip surgery is a process where a surgeon restores the structure of your hip in some way, which varies depending on the procedure. This can involve removing a joint’s damaged portions and replacing them with an artificial piece(s), cutting and reshaping your hip, adding supports to the bone, and other processes. 

Why would someone need hip surgery? For various reasons, people may find their hip function lessened and their pain increased, making it difficult to walk, climb stairs, rise from a seated position, or enjoy physical activity.

While there are a multitude of reasons why someone may need hip surgery, typically, the main goal is to restore function, alleviate pain, and improve a patient’s quality of life.

Underlying conditions, past injuries, age, and more can cause chronic pain and functional deterioration. People who experience the following may be more likely candidates for hip surgery:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteonecrosis
• Hip fractures
• Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)

These conditions can lead to severe discomfort, stiffness, and reduced mobility—making daily life more challenging. When other treatments, such as medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications fail to provide sufficient relief for these symptoms, surgery may be considered a viable option to repair or replace the damaged parts of the hip joint. 

Hip surgery can relieve your symptoms by enhancing the structural stability of your hip, thereby significantly improving your ability to perform daily tasks and participate in physical activities with minimal to no discomfort.

Because each person’s hip condition and needs can vary, there are actually a few different types of hip surgeries, including:

• Total hip replacement (THR)
• Partial hip replacement (Hemiarthroplasty)
• Hip resurfacing
• Arthroscopic hip surgery
• Osteotomy
• Core decompression
• Revision of hip replacement
• Hip fusion (Arthrodesis)
• Girdlestone procedure

Start Healing with Hive

Physical therapy is an incredibly important aspect of hip surgery both before and after surgery. Regardless of the type of hip surgery you receive, physical therapy will be necessary to regain hip motion, strength, and function.

Your physical therapist will help instruct you on ways to practice exercises safely throughout your healing process while informing you of motions to avoid. They will guide you through appropriate therapeutic exercises that progressively become more challenging throughout each stage of recovery.

Following your physical therapist’s recommendations will help lead you back to the quality of life you deserve—enjoying mobility again without pain. However, pre-operative preparation can make the road to effective recovery much smoother.

Even if your doctor doesn’t necessarily send you to a physical therapist before surgery, it can be very beneficial for you to advocate for yourself. Here are some reasons why:

• In some cases, regular physical therapy can help stave off surgery for some time. Surgery cannot always be avoided, but in some cases, physical therapy can be very helpful in avoiding the need for surgery earlier than necessary.
• After surgery, you will need time to heal—meaning you won’t be moving around as normal. This leads to a loss of muscle mass and strength that can be difficult to work with later. Physical therapy can help prepare your body beforehand and make recovery much easier. This is done by improving the strength and balance of both your legs and upper body, which can make walking aids easier to use, too.
• Preparing ahead of time can help you practice and become more familiar with the exercises you’ll be doing after surgery, as well as how to use any walking aids that may be necessary. Using walking aids may seem simple, but when you are required to not bear any weight on one leg, it can be harder than it looks!
• Each person’s body is different. The more fit you are, the better you will likely be after surgery. There is no harm in preparing your body’s strength, balance, and range of motion beforehand!
• Sometimes, your doctor may not think physical therapy will be useful for your condition. Or perhaps your condition is severe, and so they try to jump into surgery as soon as possible. However, these are not reasons to completely rule out physical therapy! Because physical therapy is essential and very beneficial for both pre-and post-op care, be sure to advocate for yourself if you feel like you will need it.
• Even professionals have differing opinions. At Hive, we don’t wait until you hit rock bottom to get started. We believe in early intervention, which allows patients to maximize their outcomes and prevent future complications. We believe being proactive in your health is the best way to stay healthy! Even better, in the state of Minnesota, you don’t need a referral for physical therapy—so if you think you can benefit from it, we encourage you to come see us!

You have nothing to lose and many benefits to gain by preparing for your new or altered hip ahead of time. Working with a physical therapist can help prepare your muscles for surgery without exacerbating your symptoms.

Their knowledge and expertise can help you safely stretch and strengthen your muscles in preparation for surgery. Not only will this prepare your body for a changed hip, but it can improve your surgical recovery time and overall experience.

Before and after surgery, your physical therapist may utilize a variety of treatments that can help relieve pain or address muscle strength. Some specific techniques used at Hive Therapy and Wellness include:

• Dry Needling
• Cupping
• Manual Therapy 
• Electrical Muscle Stimulation
• Tissue Scraping 
• Exercise Prescription
• Therapeutic Modalities
• Neuromuscular Re-education
• Therapeutic Activity 
• Gait training 

You can learn more about each of these individual treatments on our treatments page!

The post-recovery process can vary depending on your individual surgery type, circumstances, and whether or not you pursue physical therapy before treatment.

However, the symptoms you will experience after a hip surgery are often similar to the symptoms experienced before the surgery—but these will subside as the healing process progresses. That being said, you may experience the following symptoms both before and after surgery:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Stiffness
• Scarring 
• Numbness 
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty walking 

Although recovery looks different from person to person, you can expect to start physical therapy pretty soon after your surgery, as it is essential to regaining normal movement once again.

As you progress through your physical therapy sessions, you’ll regain regular motion again and be back to feeling great. Your physical therapist will also teach you some at-home exercises and self-care tips that, with consistency and practice, can keep you and your new hip in good condition!